AMENDMENT TO 2008-2009 SCHOOL BUDGET
The first question that comes to mind on these amendments is how almost a million dollars in the school budget can be moved?????
Some examples of money moved in the "regular budget" are these DECREASED amounts $10,000,00 in contracts with private agencies; $43,000.00 instructional equipment; $31,195.00 other salaries and wages; $20,000.00 instructional equipment; $38,816.51 contract with private agencies; $35,000.00 other contracted services; $15,000.00 maintenance equipment; $22,000.00 diesel fuel.
DECREASES From the LEAPS program: $23,462,00 supervisor; $86,000478.00 educational assistants; $20,950,.00 part-time personnel; 7.362.00 medical insurance; $5,900.00 maintenance and repair services equipment; $35,800.00 other contracted services; $60,650.00 instructional supplies; $34,000.00 other equipment;
DECREASES From the PRE KINDERGARTEN program: $16,000.00 contracts with private agencies; $3,148.00 other supplies and materials; $16,086.00 other equipment; $19,500.00 other charges.
This is a budget that was presented last year as a bare-bones budget yet almost a million dollars is able to be moved into other catagories, how could it be?
Some on the School Board showed a tremendous amount of character and determination in questioning this budget amendment and have given great encouragement to the idea that next year will be very different than the usual rubber stamp placed on the Directors personal budget. There Is Hope! Allen Barrett
Some examples of money moved in the "regular budget" are these DECREASED amounts $10,000,00 in contracts with private agencies; $43,000.00 instructional equipment; $31,195.00 other salaries and wages; $20,000.00 instructional equipment; $38,816.51 contract with private agencies; $35,000.00 other contracted services; $15,000.00 maintenance equipment; $22,000.00 diesel fuel.
DECREASES From the LEAPS program: $23,462,00 supervisor; $86,000478.00 educational assistants; $20,950,.00 part-time personnel; 7.362.00 medical insurance; $5,900.00 maintenance and repair services equipment; $35,800.00 other contracted services; $60,650.00 instructional supplies; $34,000.00 other equipment;
DECREASES From the PRE KINDERGARTEN program: $16,000.00 contracts with private agencies; $3,148.00 other supplies and materials; $16,086.00 other equipment; $19,500.00 other charges.
This is a budget that was presented last year as a bare-bones budget yet almost a million dollars is able to be moved into other catagories, how could it be?
Some on the School Board showed a tremendous amount of character and determination in questioning this budget amendment and have given great encouragement to the idea that next year will be very different than the usual rubber stamp placed on the Directors personal budget. There Is Hope! Allen Barrett
posted by Allen Barrett | 12:00 PM
31 Comments:
We shall see what we shall see. Everyone that is interested in how your school board works - meeting tomorrow at 5PM at central office.
Perhaps the threats of some jobs diappearing on the hill could explain their ability to move some of that money around.
Where are they moving the money??
Might be a good time to simply say freeze it
--- keep anything that isn't spent.
--- if they want to spend something not budgeted - no tickie no pay!
Some of the pads wearing off???
the financial management office should provide transparency to all these "moves". the school board, school committee, budget committee, and full county commission must approve these moves. it is time for each of them to stand up and do their job.
Who's pocket is going to be padded now? It amazes me how we have been told for MONTHS now at the BOE negotiations mtgs by the "3 that represent the board", that there is "NO" money to give the asked/almost begged for 1 time $1000 bonus to all BOE employees. Let me asked the public a serious question for you to consider. Would any one of you work 5 yrs,bringing home less than $1000/month be very "happy" to hear "NO MONEY" yr after yr when YOU are the one in the classroom wiping noses and butts all day long? WE work HARD for what we make and NO,we don't work for the benefits!That's a JOKE!! I can get health ins. cheaper on my own. Where would our schools be if it were not for the "forgotten 'little ppl'"? Are we appreciated? umm SHOW ME I am by paying me enough that I don't qualify for public assistance. Isn't that a great example for education?! Graduate and work for our school system and you'll be able to get "help" from the govt. How ridiculous! We are either college educated ppl,or have passed a test saying we have the same knowlege as someone who has been to college. One last thought about next yr.'s budget. How much of a raise is T getting? I bet we "little ppl" that do the WORK will get $0.00 but are told put a smile on "because we do our jobs for the 'children'.
If you have been a classroom teacher for five years and only bring home less than a thousand dollars either you have a heck of a lot taken out of your pay are else someone is shorting you on your check.
10:07 Hello! 5:57 did not say she/he was a classroom teacher. If YOU know the school system, YOU would have realized 5:57 is an educational assistant. YOU also might realize NEWLY hired assistants make MORE than those working LONGER in the school system. HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS! WHY?...can you say Giles County??
I heard the financial managment person (LG) speak at the board worksession. Her presentation was so 'transparent', it was 'shot full of holes.' I could have done just as well, never having looked at the budget...with comments like, 'didn't know I needed that, couldn't bring everything, I'm not sure will have to check.' Word on the street, LG is being paid $90,000 in tax dollars which equals YOUR MONEY. I sure don't want LG doing my tax return.
113 - The Kingfish makes it possible for you to look up to the new hires for financial inspiration.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!
Dear Earl....you are so correct!Someone IS shorting my check every single month! The BOE (TJ=budget)! Non-cert. employees (custodians,bus drivers,education assts.,everyone that is NOT on the hill or a teacher) gets the shaft. We "non-certs" have NO voice. TJ gives raises to everyone BUT to the ones that deserve it the MOST!! How would you like to get a $10/month per yr "step raise" as it is called? I don't know about the cost of things at your home,but things have gone up more than $10/m here at mine. By the time they take all the "ducts" out we get,what maybe..?? $7.50-8.00 more a MONTH? All that does is throw us into a higher TAX bracket,hence MORE out of our checks. There are a LOT of things that unless you are on the "inside" of our education system the public doesn't know. I can say for ME,I do my job,and CONTINUE to do my job,because I LOVE what I do. BUT! QUESTION.....is it fair that we make less than 1/2 what the "certs" do when a LOT of the time,as I said,they either can't or won't do their jobs? As for the wonderful teachers,"certs",and there ARE STILL SOME thrown into the mix;they KNOW they COULD NOT do their jobs effectively without the "little ppl". I AM NOT saying the teachers don't DESERVE what they make.Most of them do and MORE. There should be some "checks and balances" as to raises. In "my perfect world",either we have enough money to give EVERYONE a little,or there should be NONE given to anyone. It amazes me how this yrs. budget didn't call for raises,but didn't TJ get somewhere around $5K? HIS raise should be like everyone elses! We either have it....or we don't.I think everyone else that works for the BOE would like a raise written in so it's not a question. Then we could walk around and "smile" and shake hands like TJ does.
Amen!!!!!!I think that most school employees feel that way about raises for all of us. All but one "the one with the power"
WAB's numbers confirm what you say - also tells the the story about the excesses & waste in the TJ bureaucratic dynasty. The big pig eats first is all you need to know in TJ's world - that's why the temple on the hill was built while school house roofs rot, you don't get a raise & his puppets get big promotions into jobs with no purpose, and so forth
Feb.11@5:25 mentioned jobs on the hill disappearing. I have a comment for that.First let me say,I have NO personal problem with anyone that works on the hill.Then comes the BUT! Does it make any sense to the tax payers of Giles County that TJ is paying ppl that used to be "classroom teachers" that have 20+yrs experience EACH approx.$40-$50 thousand a year to order books/workbooks (which the schools DO NOT get in a timely manner!)? This is only ONE example.Most of the positions TJ has "created" are VERY costly to the budget/TAXPAYERS and could be done by ANYONE that has a little sense! You don't need a degree to place an order or to do MOST of the jobs up there. That's money that could go for us ALL a yrly raise if it were not wasted! When did it start making sense to pay a secretary(jobs on the hill) MORE to fill out paperwork for/on a child (that NEVER sees the child)than the ppl who work DIRECTLY on a DAILY basis with the child and their parents/custodian. Who's shaping the child to be a "well rounded" and use their manners? The ppl in the classrooms or the ppl on the hill? I think we have our priorities MIXED UP!! We "little ppl" are TIRED of getting the shaft!No raises yr after yr, having NO voice,and doing the WORK for TJ to say about the positions he's created,"They are highly qualified for their jobs."Well congratulations! SO ARE WE!!! That's a No Child Left Behind LAW!!!!!!
Your quote is incorrect - TJ's policy is "no money left behind" for anyone else. (to pay for essentials, core workers & maintenance of facilities, etc.) It's not about "no child left behind"
You are right on anonymous 7:39. He really appears to not care about anything that doesn't have a $ sign in front of it.
My comment about NCLB was not about abiding by the law. TJ's "cover up" for the costly positions he's "created" is he crows they(the ones filling the positions) are HIGHLY QUALIFIED. My point being...so are WE but we don't make $40-50K/year. We don't make 1/2 that and WE are the ones that work in the CLASSROOMS with YOUR child,grandchild,nience,nephew,or neighbor! I guess it's a personal choice as to where each of us want to see the money spent,but not only do I work for the BOE,I have 2 children being educated here and I want to see my $$ "working" in the CLASSROOM not on the HILL!
802 AMEN!!!!!!!!
When will the state audit be published? How can a budget be established with no clue to last year actual - maybe no better now??????????
Don't you think that TJ can wave his magic wand and make his figures look good to the state auditors?
He seems to have been able to wave his wand and blind a lot of people in here in Giles County.
I hope while the board is in their work sessions they WORK to make sure we "non-certs" get RAISES in 09-10. We should get a "cost of living" raise EVERY year! Anyone ever wondered why the "county employees" AND "city employees" get raises every year,but WE don't? They get between 3-5% is my understanding. Why are WE not included with the "county" raises? We do work for the Giles COUNTY BOE last time I checked. Anyone else feel this way?
signed....Tired of the EXCUSES!!
422 As a taxpayer, non governmental employee, & citizen absolutely against tax increases, I find absolutely no reason you should not get the same percent raise as everyone else!!!!!!!!!!
That is one of the bigs reasons TJ needs to GO & a reason the board must wake up & do the right thing!
The County Charter circling around is asking that county citizens get to vote on all new taxes. Then the cutting of fat would finally have to happen.
An automatic raise is crap!! Sorry teachers I totally respect and appreciate you but, I don't believe in automatic raises whether it be cost of living or anything else. I don't get an automatic raise. Your raise should be individual and performance based. Evaluations annually and if you deserve a raise then you get one if funds are available. Gee, these days everyone seems to have a sense of entitlement. But, to just give across the board raises? The only occupation I know that does that is the military. They truly deserve it. They are putting their lives on the line and fighting for our freedoms. They deserve more than they get in my opinion. Teachers are heroes too but, I don't see them laying down their lives on the job.
5:24- If you don't believe in automatic raises then you should have a problem with the way the city and county employees get 3-5%raises EVERY July.County employees being everyone BUT BOE non-certified employees. Funds seem to be available for everyone but us. This doesn't seem fair. I am evaluated yearly,but it has nothing to do with my paycheck. I personally wouldn't mind an individual/performance based evaluation. I do my job,and I do my job well. The only thing I feel I am entitled to is to be treated like other county employees that get a raise yearly as they do. Not only do I work for the BOE but I live inside the city limits which affords me the right to pay city & county taxes. I help pay for others raises but NOT my own. How would you feel if you were in our shoes? I would think you'd have a problem with it too.
Hmmmm-Teacher raise, individual and performance based- Based on what, pray tell, and who does the evaluation...? Let's just say child A has a wonderful home life, good breakfast on test day, parents who value education and encourage their child; child B has a dad who was taken to jail the night before testing, after beating mommy up and was up all night taking care of baby sister; no breakfast cause he missed the bus, but a bruised mom rushed him to school and yelled the whole way...Assuming that both children have the approx equal I.Q., which child will perform better on THE test, thereby earning their homeroom teacher a raise? That is of course if the evaluator does not have a "beef" with the teacher. Another scenario in this great performanced based plan...suppose you have a teacher who is grossly incompetant, yet luckily this year, he/she got an unusually bright child who excels despite this incompetant...that teacher gets a raise according to your plan; Folks, please pay attention, children are NOT widgets in a manufacturing plant and teachers cannot be evaluated based on ONE test score administered ONE week out of the school year.....
Also to the "non-cert", the "certs" aren't getting yearly raises either. I agree that you are grossly underpaid, but when it comes to raises, the board should raise all salaries, not pick and choose a particular group.
4:43....I totally agree with you on all the points you made. I'm there beside you as you deal with child A & B. Though,I'm probably dealing with more B students because they disrupt your/their class. I agree also that the BOE should give raises to all and not pick and choose. The point I'm trying to make is the "non-certs" seem to be in a "non"existent place. I apologize,I wasn't clear in that all county/city employees get a yearly raise except BOE employees(unless you're in the lucky group on the hill).It's my understanding (and I stand to be corrected if wrong) the "certs" get a mandated raise from the state every year. I know,you should get a raise from the county you work in. The "non-certs" get nothing from the state OR the county. We're left out....all the way around. We have NO voice as far as the BOE is concerned...you know,we only work for the benefits (they are so great,HA!) After all that I've said,my point being, we want to be and DESERVE to be treated fairly.
getting some common sense injected into the learning institution - wonder it learning is possible?
There are step raise for certs, true BUT here is where it gets "creative". The BOE will proudly tell people that there are 20 steps; Look closely at the salary schedule everybody, look at your honest transparent school board salary schedule; on several of the "steps", it "ain't" a step up, the salaries posted are the same; I know it's there a couple of steps, maybe more since I last checked; one more example of the honesty and ethics in charge of GCBOE;
I just read WKSR.com and saw that the school board passed a tentative budget for the year. Missing from the budget is the State BEP money, a figure that is still unknown by the school system. The budget now goes to the County Budget Committee for their study and approval. I have only one question....were raises for the grossly UNDER PAID non-certs figured in to this budget or are we gonna be crapped on another year?
BEP allocation is available to the school board and anyone else who wants to look it up.
As the blogger said-Tentative. When the board gets all the info from the state about BEP and insurance then they will have a real budget to send to the commission. They had to send something at this point with it very clearly stated on the TV and recording that it is tentative. The commissioners have been ask to send it back to the board and not pass it at the education committee Tues nite.
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